Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi ‘sounds strong’ but is isolated, son says

The 81-year-old democracy icon has been moved to an unspecified location in the capital, Naypyidaw, according to Aris, who spoke with her at the Myanmar embassy in London on Thursday. "I'm still not entirely sure where she is," he said, describing it as "a residence in Naypyidaw, which is fenced off and it has a scrubby bit of land around it."

Military PR Campaign

While Aris welcomed the chance to talk, he characterized the invitation as part of a "public relations" campaign by Myanmar's military leaders. The former junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has sought to rebuild international diplomatic ties and recently switched his military fatigues for civilian clothes after elections widely condemned as a sham.

Proof of Life

Activists have long demanded "proof of life" for Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. In August, she was photographed during a Red Cross visit, and last week, a government spokesperson published images of her smiling in a wood-panelled room as officials delivered gardening books given to her by Britain's King Charles.

Aris dismissed these photo-ops as "well-known stunts" used by the regime to pretend his mother was being treated fairly. "She remains completely shut off from the rest of the world. I think she's unaware of what's happening outside of where she is because she's not allowed any newspapers or radio or television," he said.

Democratic Fragility

Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of assassinated national independence hero Gen Aung San, spent much of her life since the late 1980s in and out of house arrest for leading pro-democracy movements. After her party won the 2015 election, she served as "state counsellor" under a civilian-military power-sharing agreement.

Her international reputation was tarnished after the 2016-2017 Rohingya crisis, when she defended the government against genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice. Aris noted his mother was "always walking on a tightrope," knowing the military could strip her of power at any moment.

Civil War Aftermath

The 2021 military coup triggered a civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people, according to conflict monitors. Aris said global support for his mother has "dwindled incredibly" since the Rohingya crisis, though he emphasized that Myanmar's current suffering shouldn't be ignored due to past actions.

"Never mind my mother, the fact that people ignore what's happening in Burma shouldn't be down to what was being done to the Rohingya," he said, using the country's former name. "And that seems to be the case sometimes, that people say: 'Oh, well, look how the Rohingya were treated. We can ignore what's happening in Burma.'"